View of Red Army parading in Moscow. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin waves at the marching troops. Map of Finland. Finland during the early days of the Winter War of 1939-40. President Kallio of Finland seated at table during a conference. He bangs a gavel. Traffic moves through the streets of Helsinki. Finnish civilians fleeing Helsinki at a railway station. Finnish civilian men mobilizing. Aircraft in flight. Paratroopers descend and advance on ground. Tanks move on a field. Soldiers riding horse carts beside a railroad track. They fire artillery. Soldiers advance through snow covered terrain in Finland wearing skis.

Film opens with a map of Europe showing black-shaded region of the Soviet Union, and pointing out Germany and Finland. Next, are shown moving images of rural buildings on fire in Finland, late in 1939, during the Russo-Finish war. (The Narrator comments that Finland's population was only 4 million while that of the soviets was 180 million.) Soviet bombers are seen high in the sky. A lone woman hurries along a street in Helsinki, Finland, past rubble of a bombed building. Smoke rises in the background. Finish fire fighters man a hose to fight numerous huge fires in Helsinki.Various views of fires blazing in the capital.

The Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. Flags of different countries displayed in a stadium during the Helsinki Olympics. Men taking part in a marathon start the event. A huge crowd gathered in the stands cheer for the men. Officials seated in the stands applaud. A man holds a board which reads '25 km'. Czechoslovakia's Emil Zatopek leads the event. People on the sides of the road cheer. The Czechoslovakian running on tracks in the stadium. Emil Zatopek finishes the 26-mile run creating a new record. Photographers take pictures. The crowd in the stands. Women's 400 meter relay event begins. United States team wins creating a new record with a score of 45.9 seconds. The relay team of four girls dances with glee. Men's 1500 meter track event begins. The crowd in the stands is applauding. Luxembourg's Joseph Barthel overcomes American Macmillan winning the country's first gold medal. Joseph Barthel cries standing on the winner's stand.

International Athletic Meet between Hungry and Finland in Helsinki, Finland. Hungary's Iharos Sandor sets a new record of 3 minutes and 40.8 seconds in the 1500 meter run. Views of the stadium filled with spectators. The two Hungarians and two Finns running the 1500 meter event on the track. The victorious Hungarian, Sandor, being greeted at end of the event.

Olympic flag hoisted during the Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. German bobsledge team wins. Skiers jump during the events. A car passes during Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. Emil Zatopek running during a track event. People holds him as he wins the event. Winners on podium. Flags of various countries. Olympic torch in background.